Boris Johnson to set out final Brexit offer to Brussels on Wednesday

  • Video report by ITV News political correspondent Paul Brand

Boris Johnson’s plan for a Brexit deal will be delivered to Brussels on Wednesday with a message that there will be no delay beyond the October 31 deadline.

The Prime Minister will use his speech at the Conservative Party Conference to say “we can, we must and we will” get Brexit done because voters feel they are being “taken for fools” by Westminster’s politicians.

British officials have made clear to EU counterparts that the legal texts which will be presented to the European Union are a final offer and unless Brussels is prepared to engage there will be no more talks until after Brexit.

  • ITV News Political Editor Robert Peston has the latest from the Tory conference

The Prime Minister will restate his commitment to the October 31 date despite legislation aimed at preventing him taking the UK out of the EU without a deal unless he has the consent of Parliament.

In his speech in Manchester, the Prime Minister will say: “Voters are desperate for us to focus on their other priorities – what people want, what leavers want, what remainers want, what the whole world wants – is to move on.

“That is why we are coming out of the EU on October 31. Let’s get Brexit done – we can, we must and we will.”

A senior Number 10 official said: “The Government is either going to be negotiating a new deal or working on no deal – nobody will work on delay.

“We will keep fighting to respect the biggest democratic vote in British history.”

In a message to MPs seeking to prevent the Prime Minister leaving without a deal on October 31, the source said: “The EU is obliged by EU law only to negotiate with member state governments, they cannot negotiate with Parliament, and this government will not negotiate delay.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares his conference speech Credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Mr Johnson is avoiding Wednesday’s regular session of Prime Minster’s Questions to deliver his conference speech after MPs refused to vote for a Commons recess for the Tory gathering.

The speech, which was still having finishing touches put to it on Tuesday, will also be used by Mr Johnson to target Labour.

Ahead of the election he wants – but has so far been unable to call – Mr Johnson will turn his fire on Jeremy Corbyn.

He will say: “Corbyn wants to turn the whole of 2020 – which should be a great year for this country – into the chaos and cacophony of two more referendums – a second referendum on Scottish independence, even though the people of Scotland were promised that the 2014 vote would be a once-in-a-generation vote, and a second referendum on the EU, even though we were promised that the 2016 vote would be a once-in-a-generation vote.

“Can you imagine another three years of this? That is the Corbyn agenda – stay in the EU beyond October 31, paying a billion pounds a month for the privilege, followed by years of uncertainty for business and everyone else.

“My friends, I am afraid that after three-and-a-half years people are beginning to feel that they are being taken for fools.

“They are beginning to suspect that there are forces in this country that simply don’t want Brexit delivered at all.

“And if they turn out to be right in that suspicion then I believe there will be grave consequences for trust in democracy.

“Let’s get Brexit done on October 31 so in 2020 our country can move on.”

Boris Johnson will attack Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in his speech. Credit: PA

Mr Johnson’s speech will close a party conference which has been beset by difficulties.

The Prime Minister has had to contend with allegations he squeezed journalist Charlotte Edwardes’ thigh at a dinner in 1999 – a claim he denied despite admitting he did not remember the lunch where the incident is purported to have occurred.

He has also been dogged by questions about his alleged affair with American entrepreneur Jennifer Arcuri and whether he granted her preferential treatment while he was mayor of London – he has insisted nothing improper took place.

The penultimate day of the Tory conference, which was supposed to focus on law and order, descended into chaos as parts of the venue were locked down by security as a result of a kerfuffle involving senior MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown.

The Cotswolds MP was subsequently ordered home in disgrace by Tory HQ for his “totally unacceptable” conduct after an altercation with security sparked by an attempt to take his fiancee into a restricted area without the required pass.